If you’re planning to wild camp in Scotland, Bradly of “Dream Big, Travel Far” shares his 15 high ideas and tips to make your expertise safer and extra nice. They’ve been driving all over the world since 2020 and have skilled ideas for wild tenting in Scotland and past.
How to Wild Camp in Scotland
Since changing our van (who known as Helen), we’ve pushed to dozens of nations throughout Europe, in addition to to North America & South America. However, Scotland stays very near our hearts as we spent greater than 4 months there, dwelling in our van and driving round this spectacular nation.
It is hands-down one in every of our private favorite locations to go to wherever in the world. Particularly for vanlifers, because of the many superb spots for wild tenting in Scotland. Teeming with extraordinary nature and wildlife, there’s no higher solution to discover the nation than in your personal car. Without additional ado, let’s get proper into it!
1. Understand what wild tenting is
But first… what’s wild tenting?
Also often called free tenting or boondocking, it’s primarily tenting in a single day exterior of registered campsites, or at a location the place you don’t need to pay for.
Wild tenting will not be the identical as tenting in common. While establishing tents in wilderness areas is a type of wild tenting, so is sleeping in an RV, campervan, or motorhome! Some examples embody parking in a discipline, close to a lake, or in a public automobile park.
As the latter is what we’re finest accustomed with, our solutions immediately are for vehicle-based wild tenting. However, most of the factors really apply to the opposite type of wild tenting, similar to in a tent. Check out a Scotland highway journey at: North Coast 500 – The Ultimate Trip Guide to Scotland’s Epic Drive
2. Choose the fitting motorhome or campervan
The very first thing it is best to do earlier than beginning your journey is to decide on the fitting car. Whether you’re shopping for your personal or renting a campervan, it’s essential to choose the very best one for your wants. Some options to consider embody:
Size – Are you travelling alone or with another person? Make certain that you could confidently drive your chosen car. While a bigger motorhome could also be extra comfy to dwell in, they’re more durable to navigate tough terrains and off-the-beaten monitor. This is crucially essential to recollect, as most roads in Scotland are very slim; even alongside the NC500 and significantly in cities. Number of beds – Likewise, take note of the variety of berths or passengers {that a} car can accommodate. Budget – Don’t overlook to find out your finances, which is able to have an effect on the kind of car you may get and its situation. Full service historical past – This final one shouldn’t be a trouble when you’re renting from a dependable rental firm, however essential when you’re shopping for your personal car. Ideally, you need it to return with a full service historical past to make sure that it’s well-maintained.
When contemplating which camper or motorhome to get, bear in mind that it’s going to not solely be a car, but additionally the place you’ll sleep, cook dinner, eat, and chill out all through your journey.
We noticed every kind of campers throughout Scotland. Some travellers had been even in massive transformed 4×4 ex-military automobiles that may be pushed onto seashores. You can hire all types of automobiles from massive rental corporations like McRent.
Or even from native Scottish individuals by websites like Outdoorsy. It actually does rely in your private desire; although I’d suggest the smaller the higher if you’re unfamiliar driving in the UK, and on smaller slim roads.
3. Know the wild tenting legal guidelines in Scotland
Make certain you’ve learn up on all of the wild tenting legal guidelines in Scotland. Is wild tenting authorized in Scotland? The quick reply is not any, however it’s tolerated and usually allowed, so long as you do it responsibly.
Land Reform Act 2003
This Scottish land reform act doesn’t take into account parking in a single day in a motorhome as wild tenting. While it’s undoubtedly simpler to wild camp when you’re on foot or bike, as you don’t have to fret an excessive amount of about the place you possibly can or can’t park, it’s typically fairly straightforward to get permission.
The Scottish Outdoor Access Code
The Scottish Outdoor Access Code grants you accountable entry to the Scottish outside. This consists of forests, hills, seashores, rivers, lochs, parks, and a few farmlands.
Respect others, care for the setting, and be accountable for your actions. Basically, present frequent sense and decency whilst you’re wild tenting. More on Scotland Travel at: 7 Crazy Adventures in Scotland
While this regulation offers entry to all unenclosed land and inland waters in Scotland, it doesn’t really embody vehicular entry. It does, nonetheless, enable wild tenting so long as it’s “lightweight and done in small numbers”.
Road Traffic Act of 1988
The Road Traffic Act of 1988 acknowledges most roads as non-public land, which suggests it’s crucial that you just ask for permission earlier than parking your car wherever.
Loch Lomond Byelaws
Wild tenting is mostly attainable in most locations inside the nation, besides for one: the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. Between March and September, tenting is just allowed on official campsites or when you have a tenting allow.
This byelaw goals to guard the National Park from environmental harm, which is smart as a result of Loch Lomond is among the high vacationer locations in Scotland!
Overall, the final rule of thumb when wild tenting is to respect any “No overnight parking” signal. And so long as you park someplace distant and smart, you need to be nice.
We will cowl extra rules under that it is best to observe to have a protected and enjoyable wild marketing campaign expertise in Scotland. But lengthy story quick, we by no means as soon as had any issues wild tenting in Scotland after dozens of nights in each single a part of the nation.
4. Download Park4Night
Park4Night is by far the very best place to seek out wild tenting spots all throughout Scotland (and Europe). It’s a free cellular app out there on each iPhone and Android that reveals you all of the spots the place you possibly can park up in a single day.
Whether you’ve lived in a van earlier than or that is your first-time wild tenting, that is severely such a helpful app that can make your journey much less annoying. No extra hours of researching on-line simply to find {that a} parking spot feels dodgy and unsafe.
I like that the database is made by fellow van lifers and that it’s at all times updating day-after-day. Plus, you possibly can share private experiences and ideas a couple of spot, and studying updates from different customers provides you with insightful info.
The interface itself is tremendous easy and simple to make use of. My favorite perform is the short search, which helps you to browse particular factors like nature spots or water refill stations, and filter solely 5* areas.
5. Use Google Satellite to seek out new places
Another useful gizmo for discovering new places is Google Satellite. You can use the satellite tv for pc view on Google Maps to seek out massive open automobile parks or areas the place you possibly can doubtlessly keep the evening.
Or merely search “parking” in any space of the map, which is able to then listing parking spots and you may zoom in to verify if it’s viable.
Alternatively, if you have already got a selected spot in thoughts, that is nonetheless a good way to scout the world and see what it appears to be like like.
When you’re wild tenting in Scotland or wherever else, at all times attempt to be as ready as attainable. This consists of having an concept of what the location you’re planning to sleep in appears to be like like.
6. Ask at pubs & eating places when you can keep there
For occasions whenever you’re wanting to remain close to town, it’s price asking at pubs and eating places when you can park your car close by and keep the evening. We have completed this a number of occasions ourselves and persons are usually very good about it. Just be sure that to ask in advance.
On an analogous notice, asking locals can also be a good way to seek out the right tenting spot. This approach, you could find locations that aren’t even talked about in guidebooks and on-line databases. A pleasant hi there might take you to a hidden gem or two!
7. Buy the Brit Stops e-book
This one is a very cool idea. You purchase a bodily Brit Stops e-book for the 12 months (it’s launched on a yearly foundation) which is able to then provide you with entry to over 1000 wild tenting spots throughout the UK, together with Scotland, the place you possibly can keep at for free.
It was impressed by the corporate Harvest Hosts in the USA (which we additionally love), so that is just like the UK model. The listing options a number of distinctive spots, from nation pubs, wineries, and fruit farms to vacationer sights, vintage centres, and extra.
The e-book itself prices £32 and offers you the possibility to remain in some actually cool places. You can even buy some native goodies in order for you while visiting.
What’s extra, they now provide a model new app with the acquisition that you should use to fulfill native hosts. It’s undoubtedly a good way to fulfill new individuals and get native suggestions of issues to do across the space!
8. Don’t depart any mess (Leave no hint coverage)
Following Covid lockdowns, van visitors and wild tenting in Scotland has exploded. And the poor behaviour of many of those new van lifers has actually upset locals. As a consequence, most of the finest wild tenting spots have began to shut down and now have obstacles, indicators and police patrols to cease the apply. Be part of the answer, not the issue.
The Scottish Outdoor Access Code encourages campers to keep away from inflicting issues for native individuals and animals, therefore the “leave no trace” coverage.
This consists of issues like:
Removing all of your litter Keeping fires small and placing them out utterly afterwards Not inflicting any type of air pollution Travelling and tenting on sturdy floor, similar to rock, gravel, dry grasses and snow Not damaging what you discover (flowers, vegetation, previous archaeological buildings, and so on)
In common, attempt to minimise any lasting influence on the grounds!
9. Be respectful in different methods
In addition to cleansing up after your personal mess, it’s additionally good to be respectful in different methods. This is related irrespective of the place you’re wild tenting, and being thoughtful whereas tenting out in nature or public locations goes a great distance.
For instance, don’t be noisy, particularly as soon as evening falls. Noise might disturb different campers in the world or worse, drive away surrounding wildlife from their pure habitat! I at all times go about it by remembering that I’m merely a visitor and to maintain quiet as a lot as I can.
I’d additionally suggest shopping for regionally at any time when attainable. Whether meaning going to native pubs and eating places or buying from native shops, you’ll be serving to enhance the native economic system whereas being extra supportive to the apply of untamed tenting.
Also, don’t go establishing such as you’re at a campsite. This actually winds individuals up, particularly if it appears to be like such as you intend to remain in the identical spot for many days! As a rule of thumb, I’d say that staying for solely an evening or two is finest.
10. Avoid ingesting alcohol
If you’re requested to maneuver on by police and you’re over the alcohol restrict, there’s a probability you’ll get fined and prosecuted for driving beneath the affect. So, it’s at all times finest to keep away from ingesting, particularly whenever you’re transferring to a brand new metropolis or space.
We personally haven’t had this drawback, however have heard horror tales of this taking place to individuals in Scotland and different nations. If you’re in your car with the keys accessible, and you’re the driver and over the restrict of alcohol, then it’s classed as an intention to drive drunk.
Your name; however in my opinion, the dangers merely don’t outweigh the prices. If you propose on having a number of drinks one evening (which, let’s face it, you’re in Scotland so why not?!) then keep in a campsite.
11. Be ready for temperamental climate
Here’s the factor about Scottish climate: it’s virtually fully unpredictable, and you may’t depend on forecasts. This dramatic local weather and shifting climate is, in half, what has helped make Scotland so wild, rugged and delightful.
The local weather additionally varies between areas, however it’s typically fairly changeable. For instance, the West will get twice as a lot rainfall because the East.
As you may count on, summer season is the very best time for wild tenting in Scotland in phrases of climate, although the visitors might get intense. Despite the sunshine, it is best to nonetheless put together for cloud, wind, and rain all in the identical day! As effectively as midges, that are famously horrendous to take care of so you will want bug spray when you go to in this time interval.
Winter in the Highlands means snow and ice, with the temperature reaching as little as minus 4 at evening. It’s all a bit overwhelming when you’re unprepared, however actually, I feel the changeable skies add to the expertise…
12. Pack blackout curtains in summer season or headlamps in winter
Scotland is sort of far north and the hours of daylight will be fairly an excessive throughout peak winter and summer season months.
You can stand up to 18 hours of daylight in June in the Northern Highlands, which is loads of alternative to discover the wilderness! But that additionally means sleeping generally is a little bit of an issue.
I like to recommend utilizing blackout curtains that may hold the within of your car (or tent) tremendous darkish. Oh, and don’t overlook a number of sunscreen too!
On the opposite hand, you may get daylight solely from 9am to 3pm in December. Pack sufficient headlamps and flashlights so you possibly can nonetheless do stuff exterior. Otherwise, you’ll simply be caught inside your van all day, which isn’t an thrilling solution to camp.
While it’s most likely not the very best time for wild tenting, the snowy panorama of the winter months does have its personal attraction…
13. …what concerning the lavatory state of affairs?
One of the most typical issues individuals have when wild tenting is the toilet state of affairs. This shouldn’t be an issue whenever you’re staying near civilization. And in case your car has a rest room, it’s all a matter of accountable waste disposal. If not… Well, time to study the artwork of doing your corporation outside.
In the wilderness, it’s sometimes okay to decide on any spot that’s effectively away from trails. Avoid waterways and sapling bushes, although bigger established bushes and bushes are okay. Don’t go instantly in small our bodies of water, however greater lakes or rivers can dilute any urine. In alpine areas, it’s beneficial to do it on a rock floor.
Now, when doing quantity two, you need to be extra cautious. Walk at the very least 200 ft away from a path or water supply, then dig a gap of round 6 to eight inches deep. This is an effective depth that can nonetheless decompose the waste whereas stopping others from stepping on it.
Once completed, it is best to cowl the opening with the unique dust. If you utilize any rest room paper, be sure that to convey it again with you and eliminate it correctly!
14. In busy season, plan forward
Many of the very best wild tenting spots in Scotland will replenish very early on, particularly in the busy summer season months of June, July and August. In some circumstances, you could wish to arrive at your location by round 2 or 3pm to have a greater probability of securing a spot to arrange in a single day.
Better but, take into account visiting through the off season! We did North Coast 500, a 500-mile journey across the Highland space of Scotland, again in November 2020. It was implausible as a result of we just about had the route all to ourselves.
15. Try The 2:1 Rule
Intimidated by the thought of untamed tenting for the whole thing of your journey? There’s no purpose you possibly can’t strategy it slowly. For loads of first-timers, it’s an incredible concept to interrupt up the journey with extra comfy campsites.
You’ll be wild tenting for two nights and staying on a campsite for one evening. This is a pleasant solution to benefit from the pleasure of untamed tenting whereas nonetheless having fun with the advantages of a campsite’s services. A pleasant rest room, scorching bathe, stocking up on necessities, and extra.
All in all, wild tenting is actually probably the greatest methods to expertise Scotland. You can cease wherever and don’t need to depend on registered campsites, so in a approach it’s far more releasing.
The Scottish countryside is certainly an oasis of breathtaking sceneries and various wildlife. I hope the following tips will assist make your upcoming journey go extra easily.
If you bear in mind just one factor from this huge listing, it’s to be respectful and thoughtful all over the place you go!